Chapter 201: Soup of Despair
In the end, Yu Guang carried the wild duck eggs and fish in one hand and held Yu Yin in the other as they returned.
For dinner, they finally had fish soup.
“I haven’t cooked in a long time. How’s the fish soup? Is it okay?” Yu Guang asked his younger brother.
Because of his childhood experiences, he had an exceptionally high tolerance for flavors, so much so that even wilderness survival show hosts would be impressed.
Fake taste insensitivity: Yu Yin.
True taste insensitivity: Yu Guang.
In the flickering light of the oil lamp, Yu Yin took a sip of the fish soup that Yu Guang had prepared.
Maybe it was the flickering light, but his expression seemed to twist for a moment.
“So, how is it, Youngest? Is it good?”
Did he actually ask if it was good? Yu Yin held the wooden spoon that Yu Guang had made for him, feeling a faint sense of confusion and shock.
It seemed as though he had absorbed a hint of negative, dark energy from this bowl of soup.
For so many years, he had only ever felt this kind of negative power when absorbing the despair and pain of humans.
How could something like that appear in a bowl of fish soup?
While this upright, cheerful older brother was preparing the fish and cooking the soup, Yu Yin had been sitting beside him the whole time, never leaving.
He was certain that Yu Guang hadn’t added any strange seasonings while making the soup. So why did the fish soup seem to have a taste of despair?
Could he have been mistaken? Yu Yin took another sip of the fish soup to be sure.
Seeing him take two sips, Yu Guang smiled contentedly, “If you like it, have more!”
He promptly poured a large portion of the thick fish soup into Yu Yin’s bowl.
After taking a second sip, Yu Yin, through his actions, showed his true preference.
He pushed the fish soup aside and reached for a boiled duck egg nearby.
This was Yu Yin’s first time eating a wild duck egg. The taste wasn’t great, but compared to the fish soup, it was quite acceptable.
It was just a bit dry. Without a tongue to help, the process of chewing and pressing the food around his mouth was a bit troublesome.
He accidentally choked on the dry yolk.
Yu Guang immediately stood up and, concerned, gave him a hard pat on the back. “Are you okay? Quickly, drink some soup to wash it down!”
Yu Yin was forced to drink down a whole bowl of fish soup, his face pale as he struggled to swallow. He ended up slumped over the table, trembling, and his fingers left scratch marks on the new wooden table Yu Guang had made.
He couldn’t help but suspect that Yu Guang had done this on purpose, as if he knew he had secretly left threads in Yangjia Village to absorb feelings of despair, and now he was punishing him in this way.
But he hated that he was still so weak and unable to confront Yu Guang, leaving him vulnerable to this torment!
Yu Guang looked at his little brother, who seemed downcast and lacking energy, and felt worried.
Could it be that he’d really eaten something bad?
He’d made fish soup for his younger brothers before, and the third one had ended up in the hospital with gastroenteritis that very day. But it had only been the third brother who had trouble; the second and fourth brothers were fine.
The fourth brother even comforted him, saying maybe the fish wasn’t fresh, but after that, they never let him into the kitchen again.
The grain porridge and meat porridge he’d made recently had all been eaten by Yu Yin, with barely any leftovers, which made Yu Guang think his cooking skills had improved. That’s why he confidently tried making fish soup again.
But now it seemed… perhaps he hadn’t improved at all?
…
Later, when they were getting ready for bed, Yu Guang saw Yu Yin curled up miserably in the corner of the bed. Feeling apologetic, he pulled him over into his arms and massaged his stomach for a long time.
Yu Yin, who had tried and failed to resist a few times, clenched his fist in the darkness, his expression brooding as he ground his teeth.
As Yu Guang rubbed his stomach, he paused, puzzled. “Huh? What’s that crunching sound? Do we have rats in here?”
Yu Yin: “…”
…
At dawn, Yu Guang went down to Green Creek Village at the base of the mountain.
The villagers rose early, and as the sky barely lightened, many were already busy in the fields.
Yu Guang spoke briefly with the village chief about the situation in Yangjia Village, then left holding a tray with fish soup and steamed egg custard.
He had asked the village chief’s daughter-in-law to make them with the fish and eggs he’d brought over that morning.
After reevaluating his cooking skills, Yu Guang decided it was time to seek outside help for a while.
The chief’s daughter-in-law was known as the best cook in Green Creek Village, and as Yu Guang carried the fish soup and custard back up the mountain, he could already smell the enticing aroma of the food.
Noticing that Yu Yin didn’t seem to like the wild duck eggs, Yu Guang had even gone out of his way to exchange them for chicken eggs with the chief’s family, to make the egg custard.
Halfway up the mountain, Yu Guang overheard voices ahead on the path.
“The person you’re talking about lives here?”
“Yes, Yu Guang and his younger brother live together up there, in a hunter’s cabin on the mountain.”
“I can’t believe such a promising talent slipped under my nose, and only now have we discovered him. I don’t know how those recruiters work!”
“Isn’t this quite normal? As you know, Teacher, more and more people believe that only good lineage equals good talent, so most recruiters go straight to noble households, barely glancing at those from poor families.”
“Hmph! Those people need a good lesson—this just proves how careless they are.”
Yu Guang recognized the voices of the three cultivators he’d met the previous day, along with an unfamiliar woman’s voice.
He quickened his pace and saw the group of four on the mountain path.
At the front were Liu Fanglin and the two others, following a middle-aged female Daoist.
The woman had piercing eyes like cold stars, and as she sensed someone approaching, she suddenly turned to look at Yu Guang.
“This is him, isn’t it? The one who received a divine response and banished an evil spirit,” she said with certainty in her tone.
Her three disciples might not have noticed, but to Wang Rongqing’s discerning eyes, this young man radiated a restrained inner brilliance that was far from ordinary. There was no way he could be someone without any cultivation.
On closer inspection, his aura was distinct from that of typical cultivators.
However, this small difference did not diminish Wang Rongqing’s admiration and liking for him.
The young man, full of vigor, had a gaze that was clear and resolute, combined with a composure and maturity that defied his age—broad and steady as a mountain or sea.
What satisfied Wang Rongqing even more was the young man’s ease and poise. After she explained her intentions, he neither grew tense nor showed any eager delight but instead calmly invited them to the mountain to discuss further.
Such a steady temperament was well-suited to taking charge; with a bit of refinement, he could be entrusted with great responsibility.
The house was too narrow for all to sit comfortably, so Yu Guang invited the guests to sit outside, setting a custard and fish soup before Yu Yin first.
“I had it made by someone at the foot of the mountain, so eat up without worry,” Yu Guang said, ruffling Yu Yin’s neatly cropped hair before turning to discuss things with the visitors.
Wang Rongqing was a teacher at the Zhuzhou Divine Academy and also one of the administrators in the Zhuzhou Exorcism Bureau.
Given her status and cultivation level, she rarely left Zhuzhou, as her presence was typically reserved for only the most severe cases of malevolent spirits.
But yesterday, Yu Guang had caused quite a stir while exorcising a malicious spirit. The divine manifestation that appeared at that moment had been sensed all the way in Zhuzhou, drawing her attention. Hearing nothing but praise from her three disciples, she decided to come and see him in person.
Ordinary people only knew that cultivators could exorcise malevolent spirits and held high status, but they were unaware that in recent years, the number of cultivators admitted to the academies had been declining, and students with strong talent were rarer than the most precious jewels.
Just looking at Wang Rongqing’s three disciples was enough proof. Faced with the evil spirit in Yangjia Village, the three of them could barely handle it together, let alone individually.
The slow pace of their cultivation made it difficult for them to become self-reliant, a common challenge facing young cultivators today.
“Your talent is excellent. I hope you can join the Divine Academy to study; I will arrange it for you,” Wang Rongqing said, unusually kind. “According to Fanglin, you share a connection with the Lingyong Celestial Lord of the North, so you could also worship him as your ancestor. But there’s no rush for that—you should first study at the academy for a couple of years.”
Yu Guang replied, “I am willing to join the academy, but two years aren’t necessary—two months will be enough.”
Wang Rongqing’s brows knitted as her expression grew serious. “Though your talent is exceptional, you must not be arrogant. Cultivation has no shortcuts, and entering the academy at your age means you should devote yourself to study.”
“My cultivation method differs from yours. Why not wait and see if I can achieve it?” Yu Guang’s tone was both confident and sincere.
Wang Rongqing studied his expression carefully, puzzled. “Why are you in such a hurry?”
Yu Guang replied, “I want to join the Exorcism Bureau.”
His original plan had been to join the Exorcism Bureau directly after some time.
Most of the cultivators in the Exorcism Bureau came through the Divine Academy, but some were talented people recruited from the public—anyone with the skill could attempt to join.
The academy was a training school for cultivators, yet Yu Guang, not being an actual sixteen-year-old, didn’t need years of study.
Truthfully, he was even stronger than most academy graduates and ready to go straight into practical training at the Exorcism Bureau.
Wang Rongqing thought to herself that this young man was still naive. He probably believed that going out to handle evil spirits would be more impressive, and that was why he was so eager.
“Why are you so intent on joining the Exorcism Bureau?” she asked, amused.
Yu Guang didn’t hold back. “Because from what I’ve seen, the Exorcism Bureau is in poor shape and needs reform.”
Wang Rongqing was left speechless by this unexpected reason.
Sitting quietly behind their teacher, Liu Fanglin and the other two disciples couldn’t help but cast astonished looks at Yu Guang.
He was bold indeed! Did he realize who his teacher was? She was one of the top administrators of the Exorcism Bureau—saying something like that was practically a slap in her face!
Yet, Wang Rongqing didn’t get angry. Instead, she asked, “Why do you say that?”
Noticing her open attitude, Yu Guang’s gaze softened, and he began sharing his observations.
When an evil spirit appeared in Green Creek Village, the villagers went to the Exorcism Bureau for help, only to be turned away because they couldn’t afford a hefty bribe.
The Exorcism Bureau here was similar to the “Non-natural Ecological Protection Bureau” in Yu Guang’s world, both responsible for handling unusual incidents.
Seeing the state of the Exorcism Bureau, Yu Guang couldn’t resist the urge to step in and clean things up himself.
“This isn’t an isolated incident. An Exorcism Bureau like this one needs a thorough cleansing, which is why I want to join.”
Wang Rongqing’s expression turned grim. Most of her time was spent teaching at the Divine Academy, so she hadn’t realized the Bureau’s condition at the grassroots level. She wasn’t entirely unaware of corruption, but she didn’t know it had grown to this extent.
“You’re that confident? You think you can change things once you join the Exorcism Bureau?”
“Of course. I’ll do better than anyone.” Yu Guang’s face showed not a teenager’s pride, but rather a profound self-assurance.
He spoke as if his words were a simple fact.
Yu Guang had never doubted himself. Even as a real teenager, he had been thrust into leadership due to a prophet’s vision.
Over many years, his confidence had come from knowing his own strength and from the trust placed in him by family, colleagues, subordinates, and countless ordinary people caught in abnormal incidents.
He had to succeed—and he would.
After discussing the matter with him, Wang Rongqing left in a hurry, leaving Liu Fanglin and Liu Yue behind to explain more about the Divine Academy to him.
Liu Fanglin was steady and level-headed, about to graduate from the Divine Academy, making him a suitable guide for Yu Guang.
Liu Yue, on the other hand, had volunteered to stay, drawn by curiosity. With a lively, restless personality, he couldn’t sit still, and as his senior brother explained things to Yu Guang, Liu Yue’s gaze wandered around the small cabin.
In the shadow of the cabin stood a figure that caught his attention.
It was Yu Guang’s younger brother. Liu Yue only remembered him as small and reserved—he hadn’t shown his face at all yesterday and had stayed inside the cabin all day today.
Was there something wrong with him? Curious, Liu Yue craned his neck, glancing over a few more times.
The figure in the shadows took a step forward, and Liu Yue found himself staring into a pair of pitch-black eyes.
His gaze gradually glazed over. He tried shaking his head, but couldn’t resist the influence radiating from those eyes.
The voices of his senior brother and Yu Guang seemed to drift farther away as his awareness became completely captivated by the mesmerizing eyes.
How beautiful… so beautiful… so joyful…
A cherished memory from childhood surfaced in Liu Yue’s hazy mind—a time when his mother called his name, beckoning him home. That feeling of affection seemed transferred into those eyes, creating an unbreakable attachment to their owner.
Yet, those overly dark eyes also stirred painful memories within him.
A storm of emotions clashed in his mind, and Liu Yue, wide-eyed, instinctively began to stand.
Midway through his conversation with Liu Fanglin, Yu Guang suddenly paused, not turning around, and reached out to firmly press down on Liu Yue’s shoulder.
The sharp pain made Liu Yue yelp, bringing him back to his senses.
“What? Ow… that hurts!”
“Wait a moment.” Yu Guang stood up and, under the bewildered gazes of Liu Fanglin and the dazed Liu Yue, strode briskly into the cabin, closing the door with a firm click.
